Nine out of ten Britons can expect to suffer from high blood pressure within their lifetime.

Experts say the condition is now out of control with the number of sufferers worldwide expected to soar past the billion mark in the next 20 years.

An editorial focusing on the problem in The Lancet medical journal said the estimated number of adults living with high blood pressure around the world in 2000 was 972 million.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. It is associated with obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol levels. Click here for full article